Leica "Type U" lenses?

[StephenPatterson]

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A poster on the M240 fb page is reporting that the Leica Store LA is selling "Type U" lenses that are optically perfect but have a slight cosmetic flaw. Apparently the box is marked with a sticker indicating this status, but otherwise the lens appears normal, and in fact the buyer was unable to detect any flaws. The lens he examined is a 90 Summicron APO and is being offered with an 18% discount off MSRP of $3995.

 

Has anyone ever heard of "Type U" lenses before? I wonder if this is something that is only available from factory stores, specifically those owned by Leica AG.

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[jml]

Never heard "type U", but well aware that Leica is selling cosmetically un-perfect lenses (second choice) which are identified by a red "O" on the box

[ekgurbuz]

Never heard "type U", but well aware that Leica is selling cosmetically un-perfect lenses (second choice) which are identified by a red "O" on the box

 

Is that on the silver Leica box, or on the plain carboard that's covering the silver box? At the opening lid as a seal? Pure red or orange?

 

Asking these dumb questions beacuse recently I bought a lens that had a round orange (inch and a half diameter) sticker on the opening lid of the outer cardboard box. No apparent fault on the physical appearance of the lens of course.

[ho_co]

Stephen, when I worked for Leica, we had something similar, viz products known as "Code U."

 

The designation was applied to products that for some reason couldn't be sold for full price because of cosmetic defects, and also at times to salesman's samples. The Press Pool equipment was generally made up of Code U merchandise, IIRC.

 

The mix varied, obviously. There might be only a single sample of a given lens, for example. For that reason, they weren't widely advertised.

 

That may not be the same thing you're referring to, but "Code U" is a Leitz/Leica designation that goes back a number of years in the US.

[adan]

At our shop, we gets calls every so often from the regional Leica rep offering Code U equipment (can be anything from lenses to cameras to flashes, etc.) We usually get about 2 hours to make a decision - or the item gets offered to some other store. They get snapped up fast.

 

My understanding is that Code U is for equipment used by the company (as ho_co says, sales samples, trade show demo lenses) and thus "used" but never previously sold. Includes the Panasonic-made models as well as the Leica-made.

 

And that there are different designations (QM2 or QM3) for the "factory seconds" with minor cosmetic defects (often I can't see the "defects", myself).

 

They are nice for us because we can pass along the price break, and occasionally a way to get a lens not available as "new" due to production backlogs (75/90 Summicron APOs popped up as Code U even when there none to be had in the regular product flow.)

 

Anyway - a good deal, provided you just give the item a close inspection to your own satisfaction.

[StephenPatterson]

Thanks Howard and Andy for the great information. My friend who was looking at this lens at the Leica Store LA mentioned that the camera had a white and red sticker on the outer cardboard box, as well as the inner silver box, and that there was another sticker with "some German writing". I'm pretty sure this is different from the round orange sticker which is often found on the cardboard box to keep the lid closed.

 

Sorry I can't be more specific (and I would love to be) but I'm just passing along what he told me. Also I understand that instead of the normal 3 year Passport warranty this lens comes with a 1 year limited warranty.

[jml]

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[elgenper]

Never heard "type U", but well aware that Leica is selling cosmetically un-perfect lenses (second choice) which are identified by a red "O" on the box

 

I don´t think the "O" mark means quite that, at least not in all instances. I recently got my Summilux 50, which came in an O-marked box, with the additional text on the sticker: "Ausstellungsware: Funktionssicherheit lt. Leica-Garantie wird gewährleistet." My translation: "Exhibit: Functionality is fully maintained according to the Leica warranty".

 

So, it seems it was assigned as a demo or showcase specimen. I´ve used mine for a few months now; mechanically and optically it is absolutely flawless, and I could not see any cosmetic defects whatsoever when taking it out of the box (which was still factory sealed btw).

 

I don´t worry one bit about it; I use it all the time!

[Bill W]

The two new Leica lens I have purchased lately have had the orange sticker on the outer cardboard box so this is no relationship to a U item.

[StephenPatterson]

The two new Leica lens I have purchased lately have had the orange sticker on the outer cardboard box so this is no relationship to a U item.

 

Yes, I thought that as well. I think my M8 had the orange round sticker on the outer cardboard just to hold the flap closed.

[algrove]

One of my M's has an O stamped beside the UPC code. It also has the same red/white label that elgenper mentioned and translated. This warranty for my M is one year instead of 2 years.